Last night's debate between the candidates for the second congressional district heated up over Katrina Swett's campaign donations and Charlie Bass' voting record. NHPR's Raquel Maria Dillon has more.
The debate format lent itself to sniping - first the candidates fielded questions from journalists, then Republican Charlie Bass and Democrat Katrina Swett asked pointed questions of each other. Bass charged Swett with supporting socialized medicine and wanting to turn the White Mountain National Forest into a National Park. But Swett parried by attacking the incumbent's voting record and corporate campaign contributions.
Swett: "Mr. Bass, I have a very simple question for you, why have you repeatedly opposed efforts to close the Bermuda loophole?"
Bass: "Well, Katrina, this is one of those campaign season issues- I call them silly season issues - that the Dems are using all across the country in every single campaign."
Bass said Swett's accusations are inaccurate and untrue. He said Swett's campaign is dredging up his old votes and presenting them to voters out of context in attack ads.
Bass: "I've voted over 5000 times in Congress and my opponent will pick away at my record, picking little subcommittee votes here and something I might have done 3 years ago. And that's fine. She has no record or experience. Nothing. What she has is good campaign literature and a lot of money - most of which comes from out of New Hampshire."
Swett had obviously studied up, perfected her presentation, and done some research to find the holes in Bass' record. She defended her own campaign contributions from out-of-state - and got some laughs at the same time.
Swett: "Both Charlie and I have some prominent supporters: Dennis Kozlowski has contributed to Charlie - criminal indictment, $14 thousand shower curtain. Steven Spielberg has contributed to me - Saving Private Ryan and ET. Dennis Koslowski? Steven Spielberg? I'm very happy to have to voters decide."
Remember, there's some history to this race. When Charlie Bass rode the Republican wave into Congress in 1994, he defeated Katrina's husband, Dick Swett. Swett could also be reacting to the Bass campaign's latest TV ad, which features a New Hampshire dairyman, his tractor, and his cows.
Ad: "She's been attacking Charlie with big money from out of state trying to buy our seat in Congress. Maybe that is the way they do it in California but that's not the way it works around here.
Charlie is an honest man and pretty dang independent. There is a word for what Katrina Swett and her liberal friends have been saying about Charlie Bass but they just won't let me use it on TV."
Last night, Swett called them on it.
Swett: "Y'know Mr. Bass, there is a word to describe this self-serving behavior and they will let me use it on TV. It's called hypocrisy. It's called saying one thing and doing another. Here you are running for your fifth term. It's not like you have an extraordinary record in Congress. You just wanna stay there a little longer."
Swett bristled when Bass said she was in the pocket of the environmental lobby. She says she's independent and makes decisions based on what she thinks is right for New Hampshire. But one of Bass's questions stumped her. He asked what New Hampshire land she'd want to preserve under federal conservation programs.
Bass: "What would be your priority for land acquisition under LWCF or the Forest Legacy Program?"
Swett: "That's a good question Charlie. I'm not sure I've picked a first priority."
She went on for her allotted minute and a half, but she didn't respond to the question. Bass later gave her the answer - 5400 acres of the Pilsbury-Sunapee Land Easement, which conservation groups have already identified as a priority.
Bass emphasized his qualifications: many years in state and national office and a command of complex issues. He pointed out that Swett has never held elected office before.
Bass: "I think my experience in the Legislature is valuable. It's a great institution, gives you a wonderful feel for NH. Most of the people who served in NH from this district have had experience getting to know NH before they ran."
But Swett called Bass a get-along-go-along, back bench congressman, and said she'd be energetic in fighting for the second district, because she says she cares more about the welfare of New Hampshire families.
For NHPR News, I'm RMD.
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